Adaptation
by DannyBoy3338
Summary: After suffering a horrific injury, Yang struggles to readjust to civilian life. Even with her beloved sister doing all she can for her, the only way someone can understand what she's going through, is if they've been through something similar themselves. (Modern AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Just a random idea I decided to write about. See how far I can take it :3**

* * *

Chapter 1:

* * *

9:30 am Monday morning. The sun was a considerable distance above the horizon, allowing its radiating light to shine through an apartment window and hit an occupied bed in the middle of a room.

The occupant of the bed was none other than Yang Xiao Long, the once energetic, courageous, pun-loving blonde, who's violet eyes slowly opened as the sunlight shone on them. She yawned as she sat up, reaching towards her face to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"…? …*sigh*" she sighed when she didn't feel anything. It had been almost two weeks since her surgery, and she still wasn't used to waking up without her right arm.

*knock knock knock*

"… …yeah?" she answered.

The door to her room opened to reveal her sister, Ruby Rose. "Good morning Yang, I made some breakfast" she said.

Yang gave her a small smile; she always appreciated how caring her half-sister was, even though she's been nothing but a burden ever since she came back. "Thanks Ruby. I'll be down after I wash up" she said, attempting to sound joyful.

Ruby was able to tell, but chose to go with it, "Alright. I'm gonna take Zwei outside" she said leaving the room.

When she did, Yang got out of bed and grabbed her orange towel as she headed for the bathroom.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

With the shower on full blast, she sighed as the hot water cascaded down her body; from her neck, to her breasts, and all the way down her legs.

But the next part she hated; not only because she had to clean herself with only one hand, but also because she had to wash over the stump that now took place of her right arm. And even though the scars from her surgery healed, the area was still pretty _damn_ sensitive.

Once the rest of her body was covered with suds, she held her breath as she hesitantly brought her wash cloth up to her right 'arm', " _Just get it out of the way_ " she told herself.

When the wet cloth made contact with the appendage, her eyes snapped shut as a small, sharp pain was felt, instantly reminding her of her last deployment in Vacuo…

" _Stop_ "

…Her convoy had been traveling along the outer edge of the desert, when they were suddenly ambushed and came under heavy fire from the rebel forces…

" _Stop!_ "

…They were pinned down with very little room for escape. Bullets whizzed past and the sound of ricochets could be heard from the armored jeep she took cover behind...

" _Please!"_

...As her allies fired back, she called for backup; it would take awhile for them to arrive, but as long as they could hold their ground, they should be good. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw an object land next to her. With wide eyes, she stood to warn her team and tried to run, but before she even took three steps, the grenade...

"NO!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, dropping the wash cloth and turning off the water. She then stood there with her hand against the shower wall, breathing heavily as she watched the rest of the water go down the drain.

"Yang? Are you okay?" she heard Ruby asked from outside the bathroom.

"I'm… ...I'm fine" it pained her to say that, knowing she was anything but. She stepped out, not caring that she was still covered with suds, and started to dry herself.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

She re-entered her room to see Ruby sitting on the edge of her bed, ready to assist in getting her dressed. After they managed to put on her bra, orange tank top and dark brown cargo pants, Yang chose to sit in silence while Ruby tied her hair into a ponytail. "So Yang, what are your plans for today?" Ruby asked curiously.

"…I don't know. I think I'll go for a walk with Zwei. Maybe stop by the coffee shop on the way back"

"Hmhm don't forget about breakfast. I made pancakes and bacon just the way you like it" Yang smiled listening to Ruby's giggle. It always had a way of cheering her up, no matter how bad she felt.

When Ruby was done with her hair, she then stood, "I have to work late tonight. There's some leftovers if you get hungry okay?" she said.

"Alright" said Yang as she watched her leave.

* * *

The weather outside was beautiful; the sun was bright and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Yang was clad in a light grey jacket with the right sleeve knotted short, as well as white sneakers. Walking alongside her was Zwei, her and Ruby's corgi, attached to a retractable leash that she held at her waist.

As they walked through the park, Yang couldn't help but notice the amount of people there; some of them flying kites, a father and son playing catch, and a group of teenagers playing ultimate Frisbee.

" _Yeah, if only…_ " she thought, choosing to sit down on a bench and take a break.

Seeing this, Zwei barked with excitement as he sniffed at one of her pockets. Yang chuckled as she reached down to undo his leash, afterwards digging into the pocket to pull out a tennis ball, waiving it in front of him before tossing it forward.

Zwei barked over and over as he fetched the ball, returning in hopes of repeating the process, "Mommy? Hey mommy? Why does that lady only have one arm?" the question made Yang shoot her gaze at a Mother and her son walking just to her right.

"Bobby! Don't say such a thing! Oh I'm terribly sorry, he didn't mean to say that" the mother apologized.

With a huff, Yang closed her eyes, "It's fine. Don't worry about it"

:::: :::: :::: ::::

Ruby entered her office out of breath, sitting down in her chair and setting her laptop bag on her desk. "You're late again Ruby" her boss, Weiss Schnee said standing in the door frame.

"I know Weiss, I know. I promise I won't be tomorrow" She said taking her laptop out and signing into it.

Weiss pursed her lips, "Was it Yang?" she asked knowingly.

Ruby stopped typing, "…Unfortunately. She's really struggling with her PTSD; I think she almost had another panic attack in the shower this morning" she said in dismay.

Weiss sat down on her desk next to her computer, "Listen, if you want to skip out on dinner to be with her, I completely understand" she said.

Ruby looked up at her ice blue eyes, "Are you sure? We've planned this since…"

"Yes. She's your sister Ruby, you'll have to be there for her when she needs it" Weiss justified.

Ruby looked down before her eyes beamed with excitement, "Wait a minute Weiss! Why not just come over and we can eat dinner at my apartment? That way I can be at home if Yang needs me, and I can introduce you to her as well" she explained.

Weiss quirked an eyebrow, "You _still_ haven't told her about us?"

"Um…I-I was going to" Ruby said with a blush.

Weiss rolled her eyes and smiled, "You're such a dolt"

* * *

The coffee shop Yang was going to was only a couple blocks from the park. Nearing the entrance, she was thinking to herself about what to do with Zwei; that is until she saw an old man sitting at one of the outside tables reading a newspaper.

"Excuse me sir? Would you mind watching my dog for a second?" she asked.

When the old man looked up, he immediately noticed the vacancy of her arm, quickly averting his eyes to look at hers, "It would be my pleasure" he said as Yang handed him the leash. Even though she wanted to believe he did it out of the kindness of his heart, she knew he only did so out of pity.

" _Like everyone does_ " she thought entering the shop.

As she approached the register, she was met by one of her good friends, Coco Adele. "How's it goin' Yang? The usual?" she asked.

"You know me too well Coco" Yang said with a small smirk. After handing her the amount of lien needed, she patiently waited for her drink; a Grande white-mocha coffee with whip cream.

But when Coco handed her the drink, and she turned to walk away, she bumped into one of the other employees, causing them to drop their silver tray.

*BANG*

All Yang heard was the sound of several gunshots going off at once, causing her to scream and drop her drink, "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry! Are you okay?" the employee with the nametag 'Velvet' asked worriedly.

Yang didn't answer, she was hyperventilating and shaking as if she saw a ghost. With everyone in the shop looking in concern, the employee tried to put a hand on her shoulder, "Miss? Are you…"

"D-don't touch me!" Yang shouted batting her hand away. Ignoring her spilt drink, she quickly exited the shop, making sure to get Zwei as she ran home as fast as she could.

 **To Be Continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

* * *

She slammed the apartment door closed as soon as she entered; her heartbeat was dangerously through the roof. She made a B-line to the kitchen, where she opened a drawer to grabbed a small orange bottle.

She attempted to pop open the lid, but her hand was shaking uncontrollably. " _Rrr, dammit!_ " she thought before taking the lid between her teeth and ripping it off, causing some of the pills to spill on the countertop. Taking two, she put them in her mouth and swallowed effortlessly.

Within seconds, her heartbeat slowed and her breathing returned to its normal rhythm. "*sigh* here we go again" she muttered. She never liked taking these pills; even though they took care of her anxiety, their side effects made her feel…weird.

*whine whine*

She looked down at Zwei, who was pawing at her leg with his ears drooped, making her smile, "I'll be okay Zwei" she assured. After putting the rest of the pills back in the bottle, and setting it back in the drawer, she started towards the living room, "Come on, let's watch some TV" she said.

Sprawling herself along the couch, she turned to her favorite channel as Zwei jumped on top of her and curled up on her stomach, yawning as she scratched his neck.

* * *

It was 7:00 pm; the sun had just set and the sky was slowly transitioning from blue to black. Ruby and Weiss were in her dark red sedan pulling into the driveway. After Ruby put it in park and shut it off, she chose to take a moment, "Okay Weiss, just a few warnings about Yang. She's really self-concious about her arm so try not to stare; if you ever walk closely behind her, always make sure you announce yourself beforehand; and try not to make any sudden loud noises " she advised.

Weiss grew a look of pity, "Is it that bad?"

Ruby nodded, "You'd be surprised how easy PTSD can be triggered" she said opening her door and stepping out. After Weiss did the same, they made their way to the entrance of the apartment building.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

When they got to her apartment door, Ruby unlocked it with her keys and they stepped in, only to be met by quite the scene.

Yang was sweeping the floor with a broom in her left hand. She had on yellow and black headphones and was surprisingly… "So take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shiiiiiiiiine!" she sang as she swept and swayed her hips to the beat.

Ruby and Weiss could only stare dumbfounded, until Yang turned around. Smiling, she leaned the broom on her right shoulder before clicking a button on the wire of her headphones, pushing them down to hang around her neck, "Hellooooo" she said in the same melodic tune.

"Um, Hey Yang. What are you doing?" Ruby asked

"Eh, the floor was a little dirty. So _I_ took it upon myself to get it cleaned" Yang said, smirking as she admired her work. Ruby could tell she wasn't herself; she only acted this way when she took her medication, which meant…

" _She had another panic attack_ " Ruby thought.

"So Ruby, who's your guest?" Yang asked.

"Yang, this is my boss Weiss. She's gonna be joining us for dinner" Ruby explained, when Weiss cleared her throat and nudged her arm, "Oh yeah, um…she's also my… …girlfriend"

Yang brought her hand to her mouth as she gasped, "Ruby~, You never told me you had a girlfriend~" she said teasingly before walking up to hug her, "Oh I'm so happy for you~"

Ruby could barely breath from the tight embrace, "Yang…please stop"

When she did, she turned to Weiss, "Hello Weiss, I'm Yang. Ruby's older sister" she cheerily greeted extending her hand.

"Weiss Schnee" Weiss said meeting her halfway.

"So how long have you been together?" Yang asked curiously.

"Almost three months now" Weiss said.

"THREE MONTHS?! You've been together almost three months and you haven't told me?" Yang asked Ruby.

"I was going to, but…"

"What~? Did you think your big sis was gonna embarrass you~?"

"No, it's just…"

"Well if you're joining for dinner you're just in time. I made some steaks along with some spaghetti and salad" Yang said.

"You did?" Weiss asked.

"Sure did. But it was a hell of a pain in the ass; as you can see I'm kinda 'short-handed' here" she said waiving her severed appendage in emphasis; it was wrapped with white bandages with a bronze amputation cover over them.

Weiss' eyebrows rose before looking at Ruby, who looked back with a nervous smile, "Aren't you guys hungry?"

"Yes! Y-yes, let's eat" Ruby said.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

Weiss cut into her steak before taking a bite, impressed when the tender meat practically melted in her mouth with savory flavor. "Wow Yang. This is very delicious" she praised.

"Are you surprised?" Yang giggled.

"Honestly, yes. You must be a very skilled individual in order to have cooked a meal this good"

"Hey, when you're a part of the Vale military, they teach you a thing or two" Yang said taking a bite of her meal as well. "So how did you and Ruby meet?"

A small blush appeared on Ruby's cheeks, "Well, it was quite a while back" she started, "Remember during my Senior year at Beacon? And I had a part time internship at Schnee Industries?" she asked.

Yang nodded.

"Well, it was a couple months after I graduated and was offered a full time job, when the former CEO Jacques Schnee stepped down" Ruby explained.

"After my father decided I was ready, he retired to Haven with my mother and left the Schnee Industries business to me. On the day when I finished setting up my office, Ruby asked if I wanted to join her for lunch, and we just hit it off from there" Weiss explained as well.

"Aww, that's so cute~. Well I want to let you two know that I completely support your relationship" Yang said lifting her plate, "I think I'll finish this in my room. Let you two enjoy the evening together" she said heading to her room.

When they heard her door close, Weiss gave Ruby a bewildered look, "What?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing. It's just she acted a lot…different than I anticipated" Weiss said.

"Yeah, that's just the way she is. Always trying to keep a positive attitude" Ruby lied; she didn't want to let Weiss know about Yang's medication.

"Then it must be easy knowing she has a sister like you here to support her" Weiss said setting her left hand on top of Ruby's, making her blush and smile back.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

After they finished eating, Weiss helped Ruby clean the table and wash the dishes. When they were done, Ruby grabbed her car keys, "Are you ready to go home?" she asked.

"Actually, Ruby..." Weiss started, "I was thinking instead we can watch a movie?"

"But Weiss, we have to work tomorrow" Ruby said confused.

"I'm the CEO Ruby, I can arrive whenever I want" Weiss said walking up to Ruby and leaning on her shoulder, "Besides, I want to have some more _alone_ time with my girlfriend~" she whispered in her ear.

Ruby blushed once more, "Weiss! My sister is still here!" she quietly shouted.

"Then I'll make sure to be quiet~" Weiss said seductively.

Ruby shivered as Weiss' warm breath caressed her ear. She quickly walked to Yang's room and knocked on the door. When she didn't hear an answer she opened it to see Yang asleep with her tablet on her lap and her cleaned dinner plate on her nightstand.

Ruby grinned as she quietly walked over and took her plate to bring it back to the kitchen, turning off the light as she left the room.

When she came back, and set the plate in the sink, she looked at Weiss with a smirk, "She's asleep. We'll have to be _very_ quiet"

* * *

Yang's eyes opened from a dreamless night, "*sigh*…thirsty" she mumbled. She slowly got out of bed and headed to the kitchen. " _Might as well make coffee_ " she thought; if she was going to drink anything, it might as well be something that wakes her up.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

Weiss woke up to see by a pair of silver eyes looking back, "Good morning" Ruby said sneaking a quick peck on her lips.

She yawned before turning to lay on her back, "What time is it?"

"I don't know, I woke up a couple seconds before you did" Ruby answered pulling the covers up to her nose.

Weiss looked at the digital clock on Ruby's dresser, _8:00 am_ it read. "Mmm, I'm gonna make some coffee. You want some?"

"And some strawberries too please. They're in the fridge" Ruby drowsily said.

Weiss nodded as she turned to stand, deciding to use Ruby's grey bunny slippers. They were soft, and as she walked they hardly made a sound on the birch-wood floor.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

She arrived at the kitchen to be greeted by the smell of coffee being made. She also saw Yang next to the stove, " _Well, that's half of it done_ " she thought.

When Yang reached in the above cupboard for a mug, Weiss went for the refrigerator that was to Yang's left. But as Weiss passed behind her, "Good morning Ya…"

"*gasp*!" Yang gasped as she turned to deliver a massive elbow, hitting Weiss square in the middle of the face.

Weiss couldn't even catch herself when she hit the floor. Her head throbbed with splitting pain and her face felt like it was on fire. Her nose was horribly crooked as it began to bruise and bleed…badly, "Oh my god! Are you okay?!" Yang asked.

"Uuuuugghh" Weiss moaned as she brought her hand to her nose, blood quickly starting to drip between her fingers.

Yang grabbed the phone off the wall and quickly dialed 911. "Weiss!" Ruby shouted as she entered the kitchen, "What happened?!" she asked Yang as she knelt down next to her.

Yang didn't answer, unsure of what to say, " _911 what is your emergency?_ " the operator asked.

 **To Be Continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

* * *

It was 11:00 am Tuesday. After two or three more adjustments, a doctor stood up from his knelt position. "Alright Mr. Black, give them a try" he said.

Mercury Black sat in silence as he looked down at his legs. It had been thirteen years since he had them amputated; and now, equipped with brand new prosthetics, he was finally able to walk again. "Okay" he said.

Off to the side, Mercury's childhood friends Emerald and Neo Fall watched on. Neo was smiling widely, while Emerald had an unsure grin; she knew how much he anticipated this day, but she also hoped that he wouldn't overdo it.

Mercury looked at the two parallel bars that were in front of him. Reaching out and taking hold of both, he slowly lifted himself out of his wheelchair, "There you go. Nice and easy now" the doctor advised.

Mercury grit his teeth. This definitely felt a WHOLE lot different; instead of standing, it felt more like he was balancing on heavily secured stilts. "That's it. Now try taking a couples steps"

When he lifted his right leg, he could already tell it was going to be harder than he thought. He was only able to move his legs from the knee up; the rest being out of his control.

He took his first step, "Nngh, whoa" he said catching himself. He took another, and the same result happened.

"It's going to take a while for you to get to get used to them. Having a little trouble at first is all part of the process" the doctor assured.

"You don't have to tell me. This isn't the first time I've had to 'adapt' to something" Mercury said.

"He's just trying to help Merc, be thankful. And he's right, you're gonna have to learn how to walk again; it won't happen in an instant" said Emerald.

Mercury grunted as he stumbled again, "*sigh* I know, you're right" he said in defeat before proceeding with his practice.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

Outside of an Emergency Surgery room, Ruby stood at the door looking through the small circular window to see several doctors clad in scrubs. Each stood around the operation table while they performed surgery on Weiss, who was obscured from her vision.

"… …I'm sorry" said Yang sitting in one of the outside chairs with her head in her hand.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, "Yang, I told you to stop saying that" she scolded. "This wasn't your fault. It was an accident…"

"It _was_ my fault! All she did was say good morning and I _freaked_ out! Again!" Yang shouted shaking her head.

Ruby frowned before kneeling down in front of her, "Yang. I'm gonna say this one last time. This isn't…your…fault" she said, her silver eyes locked with lilac, "If anything, it's mine. I should've woken you up and told you she was staying overnight; you didn't know she was still there"

Yang was speechless, leaving her to look down at the floor, "Yang?"

She looked up again, "Hm?"

"You took your medication yesterday. When did you have a panic attack?" Ruby asked.

Yang cringed, she was hoping Ruby would never ask that, "I-I… it… … ... it was at CFVY Café" she admitted.

Ruby sat herself in a chair to Yang's left, "Do you remember what happened?"

Yang closed her eyes, "I went into the shop and said hi to Coco to pay for my drink. After I waited, she came back with my cup. When I was turning around, I bumped into someone and… and then I… … …I heard… … … …"

"…heard what?"

"G…gunshots" Yang's voice was incredibly shaky.

Ruby put her arm around her shoulder, "It's okay Yang, you can stop now" she whispered. She wondered what could've made a sound similar to a gunshot. A glass falling? A plate? She's definitely gonna have to look into this later.

But right now, she needed to comfort her sister. So they sat there in silence, patiently waiting for the doctors to come out of those doors.

* * *

"Rrrr, Ah!" Mercury shouted in frustration as he stumbled for the twelfth time in the row. It had been about half an hour and he could barely take two steps before having to catch himself on the bars.

"Hmm, it seems there are still some adjustments I have to make" the doctor said stroking his chin, "How 'bout you sit back down and we call it a day" he advised.

Mercury hated to admit it, but the doctor was right. He was getting nowhere. Reluctantly he made his way back to his wheelchair and plopped down.

After the doctor undid two sets of straps on each prosthetic, he slid them off and placed them on his table, "Okay, I'm going to make a couple more tweaks and we'll try again tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Yeah" Mercury said as Emerald took hold of his wheelchair from behind.

"Thank you Doctor Tucson. Same time as today?"

"Yes ma'am. Have a good one now" Doctor Tucson said watching them leave with Neo following suit.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

The trio walked through the halls of the hospital, making their way to the main entrance. "So what now?" Neo asked, her hands signing simultaneously as she spoke.

"Now, I take you two back to the house. I promised mom I would meet her at work when we finished up here" Emerald explained.

Neo smirked, "That's cool. It finally gives me a chance to kick Mercury's ass at Immortal Konflict" she giggled.

"Hmph, please. You know you can never beat at…that game…" Mercury trailed. As they came across the emergency ward, he saw two women sitting outside a surgery room; one had black hair with red tips, the other blonde who was…missing an arm.

Even from afar he could see the expression on the blonde's face; she was distraught. He hadn't the slightest clue what was making her feel that way, or why the two were sitting outside an emergency operation room, but by just looking at her face and missing limb, he felt… sympathetic…

"Merc!" Emerald shouted.

"Ow, what?" he asked covering his ears.

"I said mom and I are stopping by 'A Simple Wok' on our way back. What do you want?"

"Just get me some noodles like last time" he said, turning his sight back to the blonde. She had wiped her eyes while the other had her arm around her shoulder. This only lasted a few more seconds as the trio came up to the main entrance.

When they approached their SUV after walking through the parking lot, Emerald brought Mercury up to the passenger seat, "Hey! Why does he get to sit up front again?!" Neo asked in annoyance.

Mercury opened the door, "Hehe, because I'm older than you half-pint" he chuckled pulling himself up into the seat.

"But I'm taller than you! It'll be safer if I…"

"Will you two stop it! I don't have time for this! Neo, sit in the back" Emerald scolded folding Mercury wheelchair and putting in the trunk. After sitting herself in the driver seat, she turned on the car and drove out of the parking lot.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

It was now 1:07 pm. Ruby and Yang had been waiting for several hours. Just as Ruby was about to doze off, the double doors to the Emergency Surgery room opened, and a doctor came out.

"How is she doctor?" Ruby asked with concern.

"You both have nothing to worry about, the surgery was a success. Along with her broken nose, she also had a broken cheek-bone and fractured eye socket. But she should pull a full recovery"

Hearing this made Yang's stomach knot, "Oh, thank goodness" Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, "Can we see her?"

"Unfortunately not. Miss Schnee is currently in a drug-induced coma, she'll have to stay overnight" the doctor explained.

"*sigh* Alright, that means we should probably get going. Yang?" Ruby asked.

"… …Hm? Yeah?" Yang said snapping out of her thoughts.

"You ready to go?"

Instead of answering, Yang simply nodded as she stood.

 **To Be Continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

* * *

They pulled into the driveway of their very large house, "Neo, get Merc's chair" she said putting the SUV in park.

Neo nodded as she got out to retrieve Mercury's wheelchair from the trunk. Meanwhile Mercury undid his seat belt and opened his door, waiting patiently until Neo came back with it unfolded and ready.

Through years of experience, he effortlessly transferred himself from one seat to the other, closing the car door behind him. The window then rolled down, "Alright, Mom and I should be back by seven" she said before backing out to the street.

Mercury stared as she drove further and further down the road, reminding himself how grateful he was to have friends like Emerald and Neo.

He's known them ever since elementary school. They had been raised almost their entire lives by their mother, Cinder Fall, who adopted them many years ago; Emerald as a toddler, Neo as an infant.

Suddenly, Neo grabbed his wheelchair by the back; pulling it towards her until Mercury was balanced on the hind wheels, "Come on wheelie…"

"Ah! Hey!"

"We've got some gaming to do" she said walking backwards to the handicap ramp that led to the entrance of the large manor. Mercury sighed; he wanted to argue that he could move by himself, but there was no point in trying at this angle.

Neo unfortunately suffered from a hearing impairment. In her own words, whenever someone talks to her, their voice is barely audible, about as low as a whisper. Because of this, she had to be taught sign language in elementary school and, over the years, learned how to read lips fluently as well.

When they entered the abode, Neo swiveled Mercury around and set him down with a huff. She then began to take off her shoes and socks while he rolled himself to the staircase.

About a week after he moved in thirteen years ago, Cinder had a stair lift installed so he could have free mobility throughout the entire house. After aligning himself properly, he pulled himself onto the lift; but before he pressed the button to go up, Neo came over and sat sideways on his lap, propping her legs up on the right armrest.

He raised an eyebrow, "Um…"

"I'm tired, take me up with you" she said with a smile.

He rolled his eyes, "Fine"

"Thank you~" she formed a heart with her hands as they started heading up.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

'SOARING NINJA WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!' announced the big flat-screen TV.

"Yes! That's two! Twice in a row!" Neo shouted holding two fingers in Mercury's face. They were sitting atop her bed, her covers checkered pink and white.

Mercury batted her hand away, "That's because I was going easy on you. I wanted you to feel good about yourself" he said. He was slightly lying, she definitely stepped up her game.

Neo looked at him with a cocky grin, "Whatever you say" she said turning back to the TV.

'Round 3. Ready? FIGHT!'

As soon as the announcer said that word, their characters dashed towards one another. With the execution of unique button inputs, they performed flashy moves on each other, some chaining into combos, other's being disrupted by perfectly timed blocks.

Mercury bit his lip, Neo was starting to gain the upper hand. But then he smirked as he came up with a plan. He glanced to his right to see her eyes locked to the screen.

Being bound to a wheelchair did come with one useful perk; having to constantly spin the back wheels over and over for years, meant that he had developed a very strong upper body. He quickly reached over and grabbed Neo's controller, tossing it across the room. Before Neo could react, he pounced on her.

"Ngh, Mercury! What are you doihihihing *gasp* AAhhhahahahahahahaa!" she broke into hysterical laughter.

Mercury had bear-hugged her from behind. With his strength he was able to hold both her arms at her side, easily allowing him to tickle her stomach, "Nohohohoho! *gasp* AHahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa! Cut it out! *gasp* Stohohohop! Hahahahahahahahaha!"

He continued for several more seconds before letting up, taking his controller back in hand and finishing off the match.

'MASQUERADE WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!'

Neo laid breathlessly on her side, "*huff* *huff* You asshole!" she shouted kicking his shoulder.

"Hey, I told you I wasn't trying. If you want a _real_ match, let me chose my main" he said.

Neo glared at him before standing up to get her controller from the other side of the room.

Meanwhile on the screen, Mercury was scrolling through the available fighters until he came across his main, Sonya Knife. She was a hand-to-hand fighter who also had a revolver laser; she also had blonde hair tied in a ponytail. " _Come to think of it_ " he thought she did look like the woman he saw at the hospital earlier.

He wondered what she was up to, hell even how she was coping with whatever was happening with her and the other woman with black and red hair. " _Having to live without an arm..._ ..." his thoughts trailed as Neo sat back down.

* * *

Ruby and Yang stepped into their apartment, "Alright, I need to make a couple more calls to work, let them know about Weiss" Ruby said pulling out her phone and walking to her room.

"… …yeah" Yang said. She felt awful, " _Along with her broken nose, she also had a broken cheekbone and fractured eye-socket_ " the doctor's words continued to echo in her mind.

It still baffled her what had transpired this morning. Damn her combat training! In the military, they teach you to have split second reactions to almost any and all situations. That, coupled with how they teach you to throw strikes with pinpoint precision and force, Weiss never stood a chance.

" _Weiss_ …" she thought. She couldn't even fathom an apology big enough for this, let alone what Weiss was going to say once they go back to the hospital tomorrow. " _She's Ruby's girlfriend. Your SISTER'S! How could you do such a thing?!_ "

"I didn't mean to"

" _All she did was greet you, and you lashed out like an animal!_ "

"I didn't know she was behind me" her voice slightly rose.

" _And to think she must've thought you were so nice, seeing as how she met you when were high on those drugs you're so dependent on. But now, after your little 'stunt', she's going to hate you forever!_ "

"I SAID I'M SORRY!"

"Yang?" Ruby asked. Yang opened her eyes to see Ruby was back, "Who are you talking to?"

"Huh? Oh... sorry Ruby, I got lost in thought. I think I'm gonna rest up" She said heading towards her room.

Ruby looked at her in concern, she was obviously lying, "... ...Okay. I think I'll order us a pizza in a little bit" she said before hearing Yang's door close.

 **To Be Continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

* * *

" _There we go_ " Ruby thought, satisfied when she found what she was searching for. She closed her laptop and stood to go to Yang's room. When she got to her door, she paused before raising her hand to it.

*Knock knock knock*

"Yes?"

She opened the door to see Yang lying on her bed with her tablet propped up on her knees, "Are you ordering the pizza?" she asked curiously, eyeing the laptop in Ruby's arms.

"No, I'm not" Ruby said entering in. "Yang… …we need to talk" she sat herself next to Yang's legs.

Yang grew a serious look as she sat up, setting her tablet down on the side. "What is it?" she asked.

Ruby move further onto the bed, crossing her legs Indian-style and setting her laptop down in between them. She closed her eyes and took deep breath, "Yang…Are you okay?"

Yang rose a confused eyebrow, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"Because I'm worried" Ruby said. Before Yang could question, she continued, "Yesterday I heard you scream in the shower. When I went to work, you ended up having a panic attack and had to take your medication. This morning, you accidently hurt Weiss; and earlier you were yelling at nobody"

Yang was silent, unsure where she was going with this.

Ruby spun her laptop around, "*sigh*… …you're my sister Yang. I love you more than _anything_ else is this world. And I'm only saying this as someone who desire's nothing but the best for you…" she lifted up the screen, "I think it's time for you to see a professional"

Yang looked at the monitor. On it read: _Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck, PhD in Psychology and licensed therapist, 2625 Avion Boulevard suite 347_.

'therapist'. She kept staring at that word, " _Heh, therapist? She thinks you need to see a therapist? Pitiful. She's your younger sister and she's the one who has to find help for you. You know what that means? It means you're weak! Pathetic!_ "

"Shut up" Yang said softly.

"W-what?"

" _You're weak! Soft! And you call yourself a soldier?!"_

"I said shut up!" Yang shouted, grabbing the side of her head.

Ruby quickly put a hand on her shoulder, "Yang, what's wrong?"

"Rrrr, Stop talking to me! Get out of my head!"

*SMACK*

The sound echoed throughout the whole room. Yang turned back to Ruby with a look of absolute shock, a handprint starting to redden on her cheek. "I'm sorry. I had to do that" Ruby said lowering her hand. "I'm going to call him and set up an appointment for you. You need help"

Yang was a loss for words. Tears quickly flooded her eyes, "…You're right" as soon as she said that, they began to fall, "*sob* you're right, *sob* I-I'm an absolute mess"

Ruby moved her laptop out of the way and enveloped her sister in a hug. As Yang continued to cry into her shoulder, she calmly whispered reassurance into her ear, both of them unmoving from this position.

* * *

"Neo~! Mercury~! We're back~!" announced a woman as she entered the large house. She had long jet-black hair (with some greys here and there) that covered her left eye; she wore a red blouse with gold embroidery down the sleeves along with black jeans.

"Ugh, my feet are killing me" she said reaching down to unbuckle her high heeled boots.

"I told you you should've worn a different pair; you knew we'd be walking a lot today" Emerald chided after coming in as well.

"*sigh* yes, you did. And I should've listened" the woman said taking off her boots and slipping her feet into a pair of black slippers, "Ah, much better"

"Hi mom" Neo said walking down the stairs.

Seconds later, Mercury came down on the stair lift, "Hey miss Fall" he greeted. When he reached the bottom, he transferred himself to his wheelchair.

"You two must be starving. We brought back dinner" Cinder said holding up two bags that read _A Simple Wok,_ "Come on, let's eat"

:::: :::: :::: ::::

In the dining room, they all sat around a mahogany table as they chowed down on their exotic meal. "So Mercury, Emerald told me what happened today. What was wrong? Were the prosthetics broken?" Cinder asked curiously.

Mercury finished chewing before answering, "No, no it wasn't that. Dr. Tucson said he's going to make a few more adjustments. They should be ready good to go tomorrow"

"Hmm, well that's disappointing. And here I was ready to bring you brand new pairs of pants" Cinder pouted.

Neo set down her chopsticks, "Hey mom, what did you and Emerald do at work today? Did you work on a new dress" she asked.

At this, Cinder grinned, "Oh yes! Yes, yes, you two _have_ to see this" she said momentarily leaving, returning shortly with a tablet.

Cinder was the founder, and current head designer of the Seasonal Maiden fashion line, where she designs a wide assortment of shoes, clothes, and other women's apparel. Emerald worked alongside her as well; the reason for being when she retires, she'll be able to pass on the business to Emerald knowing she has the experience to run it.

When she swiped to the right picture, she then smiled widely as she showed the photo, "Take a look" she said. On the screen was an elegant bright red dress; its cloth flowing all the way down, where a slit revealed the leg of the person wearing it.

"Wait…is that who I think it is?" Mercury asked, surprised at who was modeling.

"Pyrrha Nikos?!" Neo exclaimed, "You guys got to work with _the_ Pyrrha Nikos!?"

"Hehe, the one and only" said Emerald.

Neo took the tablet from Cinder's hands and swiped through all the photos, her face alit with awe, "she looks so beautiful" she murmured admiring the exposed, athletically toned arms and leg of the world renown tennis star.

Mercury nudged her shoulder, "Does someone have a little crush~?" he teased.

Neo's cheeks instantly turned red, "No! I'm just… …a really big fan" she said flustered.

Cinder laughed, "Well Neo, she's supposed to model again tomorrow. You can come with us and meet her if you want t…"

"YES! I-I mean, yes please" Neo answered.

"Wait. But I'm supposed to go back to see Dr. Tucson tomorrow" said Mercury.

"Don't worry Merc, I'll drop you off. That way you can practice trying to walk with your new legs until we come pick you up" Emerald explained.

Mercury nodded in agreement before going back to his meal. His mind then wandered as he thought about going back to the hospital, " _I wonder if I'll see her again_ " he thought, remembering the one-armed blonde from the emergency ward.

* * *

The next morning Ruby and Yang woke up early, wanting to arrive at the hospital as soon as visiting hours opened.

As they drove, Yang was growing more and more nauseous; she was so worried about what Weiss was going to say to her, that she literally felt sick to her stomach. " _You already know what she's gonna say to you_ "

" _Be quiet_ " Yang thought.

" _'_ _You did this to me! You should be thrown in jail you one-armed freak!', oh I can see it now_ "

Yang clutched her severed appendage, sinking deeper into the passenger seat, "It'll be fine Yang. I promise Weiss will understand" Ruby assured.

"… … _I hope so_ " she thought as Ruby pulled into the driveway of the building.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

"Yes, we're here to see Weiss Schnee" Ruby told the nurse at the desk.

"Ah yes. Miss Schnee woke up just a few minutes ago. I'm sure she'll be delighted to see you now" the nurse said with a smile.

After making their way through the halls, they arrived at the room Weiss was said to be resting in.

A doctor stepped out, "Are you here to see Miss Schnee?" he asked.

"Yes, can we?" Ruby asked.

The doctor chuckled, "Go right ahead. I just finished explaining to her the procedures she had to undergo yesterday" he explained as he left.

The sisters then entered the room, Ruby first, Yang hesitantly second. Weiss was lying on a bed that was leaned upwards; she was wearing a patient's gown and also had…stiches on her face that traveled from her cheekbone to the bridge of her nose. "Ruby? Yang?" she asked, her speech slightly slurred.

Ruby quickly came to her side, "Hey Weiss. How do you feel?"

"I…can't feel my face" Weiss said bringing her hand up to touch her nose and cheeks.

"Do you remember what happened?" Ruby asked, making Yang tense up.

Weiss shook her head, "All I remember was walking into your kitchen. The next thing I know I wake up in this room with a doctor telling me I had surgery"

Ruby looked at Yang, she was fidgeting where she stood, keeping her distance from Weiss. She then turned back as she began to explain what happened to her.

 **To Be Continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

* * *

"…and that's why you're here" Ruby finished.

Weiss looked down to the foot of her bed, "… …I see"

"*sniff* Weiss…" Yang said coming to the other side, "I am so…SO sorry" she wiped her eyes, "You didn't deserve this, I-I was only making a cup of coffee, I didn't know you were behind me, I didn't mean to…"

"Yang"

She stopped the split second she heard Weiss' voice, tears threatening to fall once more. "I have no one to blame but myself" she said, "Ruby warned me not approach you unannounced. I must've thought I could get away with it because I was unaware you were on your medication when we met"

"*sniff* B-but…"

"Yang" Weiss interrupted again, "You can't keep beating yourself up for _my_ mistake" she rested both her hands on top of Yang's, "I'm going to be okay. These stiches shouldn't leave _that_ big of a scar anyway. And even if they do, a little makeup should cover it easily" she chuckled.

A small smile appeared on Yang's face, "So…you don't hate me?"

Weiss was taken aback by the question, "Goodness no, how could I? Your Ruby's sister; you served in the Vale military; you've been through more than Ruby and I could ever comprehend. It would be dreadful for me to hold any resentment" she said.

Yang's smile grew wider, " _She's lying to you_ " and quickly wavered, " _I mean come on, she wouldn't tell how she truly feels to your face…_ "

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom" she said heading out the room.

When the couple was left alone, Weiss gave Ruby a questionable look.

Ruby, knowing what Weiss was going to ask, spoke first, "She's getting worse" she said, "Ever since yesterday, she's felt absolutely horrible about what she did to you. I'm afraid she's also starting to hear voices in her head too"

"Oh my god"

"Don't worry. I'm taking her to see a therapist so she can get professional help. Until then I told her that if she heard any to ignore them, no matter what they say" Ruby explained.

"Do you want to go check on her?" Weiss asked.

Ruby glanced at the door, "I…*sigh* I don't know"

:::: :::: :::: ::::

Yang turned on the water in the sink. Cupping her hand under the faucet, she leaned down and splashed her face. After taking a breath, she repeated the process again… …then a third time… … then a fourth. " _You're a disgrace_ "

" _You're not real_ " Yang thought.

" _Who knew it was possible to become_ _ **this**_ _dependent. General LeGume would be ashamed_ "

Yang looked up at the mirror to see her reflection, clad in her former combat uniform with her hair tied in a braid and war paint under her eyes. " _You're a soldier! You were trained to be strong! Unfazed by anything! Now look at you; a broken shell of your former self; needing to rely on your baby sister for everything; getting scared into hurting an innocent bystander just for greeting you. You're an embarrassment_ "

She reverted her gaze back down into the sink, " _Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you soldier!_ "

"You're not real" she mumbled.

" _I said look at me dammit!_ "

"Stop _talking_ to me" she was getting annoyed…

" _LOOK AT ME_!"

She had enough. Gritting her teeth, she yelled in frustration and threw a fist at the mirror.

… … …but nothing happened.

She opened her eyes to see her reflection back to normal, with her severed arm held straight out. Slowly lowering it, she shook her head " _get ahold of yourself_ ".

* * *

"Very good Mr. Black, your making incredible progress" said Dr. Tucson.

Mercury smirked at the compliment; after several minutes he was able to walk the full length of the parallel bars. "Thanks, they definitely feel different this time. What did you do to them?" he asked.

Dr. Tucson knelt down and pointed to his 'knee', "I had to switch out the screws used to secure the joints. I also increased the tension and extended the length to better accommodate for your body type" he explained. "Now, see if you can walk to the other side of the room"

Mercury nodded as he walked back to where his wheelchair was set; however, because it had been so long since he properly used his leg muscles, his stride was somewhat…awkward. "Excellent, excellent. I think you can now start practicing climbing stairs. If you follow me, we can use the staircase down the hall"

"Lead the way" Mercury said following the doctor out the door.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

As they walked through the hall, Dr. Tucson made sure to keep a slower pace so Mercury could keep up. Meanwhile Mercury took the opportunity to retake in the hospital's interior design, appreciating how different it looked from a significantly taller height.

When they came across the doors to the restrooms, the door to the women's suddenly opened, revealing the one armed blonde from before, who accidently bumped into Dr. Tucson. "Excuse me" she said, almost ignoring them as she walked away.

"No worries" said Dr. Tucson, continuing to the staircase.

Mercury, however, kept staring at her as she went. He could tell she looked different from last time. Most obviously was her hair, that was down this time instead of a ponytail; and second were her eyes, that looked almost dead; bloodshot as if she had been crying…

"Mr. Black? Are you coming?" the doctor asked from down the hall.

Mercury looked at him, then back at the blonde, "Um…yeah. Just give me a minute" he said.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

He caught up to the blonde to see her gazing out one of the many clear windows that illuminated the hallway with daylight, gently caressing her missing arm. He slowly came up to her right side, "Um, hey. Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it" she said bluntly.

He expected that answer, but he chose to keep going, "I thought you might say that. Listen…I just wanted to tell you that whatever you're going through, you'll get through it. But you won't be able to do it alone" he said.

The blonde kept staring out the window, "I can tell you've been struggling. Getting over a traumatic experience I assume?" he said looking down at her arm.

She kept staring, "*sigh* You should count yourself lucky. Some people might consider only losing an arm a blessing" he said.

This got a reaction as the blonde looked at him with a nasty glare, "A _blessing_?!" she said, "My life…has been… _miserable_ ever since this happened to me. I can hardly sleep at night, eating food is hell, I can't write a fucking thing with this hand; and you think it's a _blessing?!_ " her voice was bathed in anger.

"No. I said you should count yourself lucky" he corrected, "If you weren't, you could've ended up like me" he motioned down.

When the blonde looked, all of her anger immediately dissipated and was replaced by shock, as if surprised she didn't notice, "I'm sorry, I didn't know" she apologized, "what happened?"

Mercury chuckled as he shook his head, "I'd rather not say. But I can tell you that it wasn't easy for me either. I had nightmares every night; I would get scared at the smallest things; and at times I would just cry… …cry for hours" he said, now looking out the window himself. "Have you considered seeing a therapist?" he asked.

The blonde pursed her lips, "…Yeah. I'm supposed to be seeing one tomorrow, but honestly… …I don't know if I can"

"Why?"

"Because… ... ...because if I do, I'll have too…"

"Relive what happened?" Mercury asked knowingly.

Instead of answering, the blonde simply nodded, "I get it. I felt the exact same way when I had to see my therapist for the first time. But just remember that no matter how scared you are, and how doubtful you may be, you're gonna have to if you want to get better. It won't be easy; and at times it may not feel like you're making any progress at all; but it will all be worth it in the end. Trust me" Mercury assured.

The blonde smiled at him, "Thanks" she said, "what's your name?"

"Mercury. And you?"

"I'm Yang"

Mercury smiled back, "Well Yang, it was nice to meet you. Hopefully we see each other again sometime" he said as he turned to go back to Dr. Tucson.

"Same here... ... and Mercury?" he looked back, "thank you…for the talk"

And nodded, "Anytime"

 **To Be Continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Kinda short chapter :p**

* * *

Chapter 7:

* * *

Ruby parked her sedan on the side of a street. As she got out, she started heading towards the entrance of CFVY café. When she opened the door and walked in, she was struck with the smell of coffee, hot chocolate, and numerous pastries all at once.

"Heya Rubes, what can I get for ya?" asked Coco from behind the register.

"Nothing Coco, I'm good. I was actually wondering if I could ask you something" Ruby said.

"What about?"

"About what happened here several days ago, when Yang came to buy a drink" Ruby asked.

Coco nodded, "Sure. Hey Fox! Cover for me!" she said towards one of the employees in the back, who silently nodded as he came to take her place.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

They sat at a table near one of the windows of the shop, Ruby on one side, Coco on the other.

"Yeah…after I gave her her cup, she turned around and accidently bumped into Velvet. She's new here; started working two days before then. She had just finished taking an order to a table, but when she and Yang collided, she dropped her tray on the floor" Coco explained shaking her head, "Loudest I've heard Yang scream since we were kids"

"…Anything else?" Ruby asked.

"Uh-huh. After Yang dropped her drink, she started breathing erratically and shivered like she was freezing. Vel tried putting a hand on her shoulder and asked if she was okay, but Yang shouted 'Don't touch me' and then ran out of the store"

Ruby pursed her lips as she looked down to contemplate this. "E-excuse me?" she turned her head to see the aforementioned employee, "Are you Ruby? Yang's sisteh?" she asked.

"Yes, and you're Velvet?"

"Yeh" Velvet answered taking a seat next to Coco. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened to your sisteh; after she left, Coco told me about her time in Vacuo. Is she doing okay?"

Ruby sighed, "She's definitely been better. I dropped her off at a therapist before I came here. I hope some professional help will help her make some progress" she explained.

* * *

 _347_ read the door in front of her, " _Come on, you can do this_ " she thought.

When she entered, she was greeted by a woman with green eyes and blonde hair tied in a bun sitting at a desk, "Hello. Are you here to see Dr. Oobleck?" she asked.

"Y-yes. I have an appointment for 11:30?"

The woman quickly typed on her desktop, "Ah yes, Miss Xiao Long. The doctor will see you now; down the hall, first door on your left" the woman said pointing in the direction of the doctor's office.

Yang nodded as she headed down the hall the woman directed her towards. When she approached the doctor's office, she knocked and waited for a response.

"Come in" she heard from the other side.

When she did, she saw a tall, lanky man with messy green hair. He wore a white dress shirt, dark green slacks and brown dress shoes and was standing next to a window, looking out at downtown Vale as he sipped from his mug. "Dr. Oobleck?" Yang said.

When he turned around, Yang took notice of his large, round glasses, "*sip* Good morning Miss Xiao Long. I hope you're having a wonderful day" he said walking to his chair, "Why don't you take a seat and we can get started?" he asked motioning to the black leather chaise directly across from him.

After she sat down, the doctor pulled out a notepad and a pen, "Now Yang, do you mind if I call you Yang?" she shook her head, "Tell me a little about yourself" he said.

Yang rose an eyebrow, "Why?"

"I just want to know about you a little more. That's not too much to ask, is it?" he said with a smile.

"…I guess not" Yang said. She took a deep breath before starting, "My sister Ruby and I grew up in Patch, a suburb just west from here. Our mom worked as an officer for the Vale Police Department and our dad taught a Signal High school"

"Yes, yes, your sister was the one who set up this appointment. But If I recall, her last name is different from yours" the doctor said.

"We're half-sisters" Yang said before pausing, "…I've never talked to anyone other than my family about this but… …my biological mother… left me and my dad a little while after I was born"

"Do you know why she did?"

Yang shook her head, "No. And to this day we still don't know where she went. But after my dad found out, he called one of his best friends from when he went to Beacon University; her name was Summer Rose. When she came over, my dad told her about the situation. After a long discussion, they came upon an agreement that she would help raise me so that I could have a motherly figure in my life"

"Summer's the name of the woman you call mother now?" Dr. Oobleck asked.

"… … …It was"

"What happened?"

Yang looked up, "Do I have to?"

"Only if you want to" the doctor said.

Yang sighed, "Two years after Summer agreed to help raise me, she and my dad ended up having a child of their own; my sister. Heh, we were probably the happiest family you could think of. But then one day, three years later… … she died on the job. She was shot during a firefight from a bank robbery"

"That must've been very hard on your family"

"Like you wouldn't believe" Yang chuckled, "Ruby was really torn up but…I think she was too young to fully understand what was going on you know? And our dad just kinda…shut down; he still went to work at his job, but when he would come home, he would make us dinner and then go straight to his room to drink until he passed out. At some points, he wouldn't even look at us because we reminded him too much of my mother and Summer. It went on like that for several years, and I was basically forced to become Ruby's mother figure; I would make her lunch for school, make sure she did her homework… … everything really"

Dr. Oobleck finished writing a note, "You said it was like that for several years. How many specifically?"

"I don't know, seven? Eight? At least until we started attending Signal High. At that point our dad promised he would change his life around for us. Ruby was happy to hear that, and I was too; but the damage was already done… …for me at least" Yang explained. "That's all I got"

The doctor nodded as he finished his notes, "Very good, very good. Now as you are probably aware, your sister Ruby set up this appointment because of the events that…transpired over the past couple of days. She says you've been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Would you agree?"

Yang slowly nodded, "yeah"

"Good. How about we start with your time serving in the Vale Military. Why did you join?" he asked.

"For Ruby" Yang started. "When we attended Signal High, I wasn't…the best student. I struggled with classes, would get in trouble numerous times, and that was just my freshman year. Near the end of my senior year, around the time students would start picking colleges, I knew my options were limited. Our dad's income wasn't enough to send both me and Ruby to college, and having a 2.6 GPA did fuck all for scholarships, so that's when I joined the military, where I studied engineering" she explained. "Not only would I get an education that I could use for the rest of my life, but if were to be deployed and, God-forbid, died, the insurance they provide would take care of Ruby for the rest of her life"

"That's very honorable of you Yang. Most people these days wouldn't even consider joining the military. But the fact that you were willing to go to war for your sister, tells me that you are a brave and caring individual" Dr. Oobleck said.

Yang smiled at this, "thanks".

 **To Be Continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

* * *

Mercury exhaled as he completed his last squat, setting down the twenty pound dumbbells next to his prosthetics, "Good job Mr. Black, you're all done with today's exercises" said Dr. Tucson.

"Yeah, we doin' the same tomorrow?" Mercury asked.

"Yes sir. You two have a good one" the doctor said.

"Thank you doctor, you too" said Cinder as she and Mercury left the room and headed for the hospitals exit.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

They approached Cinder's car, "So where do you want to go Mercury?" Cinder asked, curious as to why he wanted her to accompany him to the clinic instead of Emerald and Neo.

"The cemetery" he answered solemnly, opening the passenger side door.

Now she understood, opening the driver door to take her seat, "Has it been a year already?"

"*sigh*…yeah" he said as she turned on the ignition, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the street.

:::: :::: :::: ::::

They drove for nearly twenty minutes in silence. When they came across the cemetery, Cinder drove down the driveway until she pulled up to the funeral home, setting the car in park and shutting it off.

"I'll be back" Mercury said undoing his seatbelt.

Cinder nodded as she watched him get out, closing the door and putting his hands in the pockets of his cloudy blue and black hoodie.

At this point, he knew where to go by heart. Walking down the concrete brick path he took a left, then a right, then a left, then a right one more time. He did this until he found the correct tombstone, one that read 'Orias Black'.

He took a moment to look at the engraved name, then down look at the luscious green grass growing in front of it.

"Hey mom" he greeted, "I just wanted to come by and say happy birthday. I know it's been awhile since we last talked, but I want you to know that I've been doing well. Em and Neo are still the greatest friends I could ever ask for, and their mother Cinder has been taking good care of me too. Hehe, you wouldn't believe this, but she was actually able to hook me up with prosthetic legs. I have to admit I'm not quite used to having them just yet; when I wake up in the morning, my first instinct is to go straight for the wheelchair, and I still have some trouble going up and down stairs, but I'll adjust soon enough" he said.

He took another moment, "I really miss you…" he said wiping his eyes, "I'll see you next time. I love you"

He turned to walk away. But instead of going back to Cinder's car, he went further into the cemetery, all the way to the back. It was there that he approached another tombstone, one that read 'Marcus Black'.

He stopped to read the lettering, his face becoming disgusted just by the sight. Narrowing his eyes, he spat on the grave and left without saying another word.

* * *

"Now…how about we move on to your… …impairment" Dr. Oobleck said, his sight drifting down to Yang's right arm.

Yang softly clutched the appendage, looking to the floor, "I know you might not want to, but talking about it is the only way you're going to get better"

"I know, I just…I'm just… … …scared" she admitted.

"I can understand why you feel that way. But I can assure you that you are perfectly safe here. If you ever want to stop talking, feel free. I won't force you to go any further than you want" the doctor assured.

Yang looked at him, and then at her arm, then at him again, "Okay" she said taking a deep breath. "Two months ago, I was deployed to Vacuo to help suppress a rebellion from overthrowing the government. It took us a month and a half to fully drive them out of the capital city of Shade; and after we did, our next objective was to drive them back to their proclaimed base of operations, the city of Quavelle"

She hesitated before continuing, "I was sent out with a convoy to scout out the main path that led to the city; it was located just along the western edge of the desert. When we were about halfway there, the rebels ambushed us" she shook her head, "They had us surrounded from all sides. We were able to hold our ground but… …but… … …ugh, how could I've let my guard down! I was trained better than that!" she shouted.

"What do you mean?" the doctor asked.

She clenched her fist, "I…was taking cover behind one of our jeeps. There was so much gunfire and bullets flying everywhere. I took out my walky-talky and phoned for backup; but when I took my rifle back in hand… …a grenade landed to my right" she clenched her fist harder, her knuckles turning white, "I yelled 'grenade' as loud as I could; got up as fast as I could… … … … but the next thing I knew, there was a bang… followed by the most excruciating pain I ever felt in my life"

Her eyes began to sting with tears, "*sniff* I thought I was gonna die. I had completely forgot about the battle at hand because the pain was too much. My ears rang and my vision was blurred; I remember seeing three or so figures come to my side… …but I also remember feeling myself drift away" her tears began falling.

Meanwhile, the doctor discretely brought out a small box of tissues, "*sniff* My life flashed before my eyes. Everything. Dad… Summer… …Ruby. *sob* I couldn't stop thinking of her! How would she react if she heard I died! How much grief would I have caused her! *sob*"

At this point she was balling, not even able to form words anymore, "That's it. let it all out" Dr. Oobleck said softly, slowly holding out the tissue box.

Taking one, Yang dried her eyes with the soft cloth, the doctor allowing her to recompose before he went on, "Do you remember what happened afterwards?"

She took several, shaky breaths, "I…I-I remember waking up in a medical tent. There was a medic there who informed me I was going to be dispatched from the military and sent home within the next three days. As I sat up to ask her why, I noticed the um…vacancy" she said slightly waving her severed appendage, "I was shell-shocked. I-I didn't know what to think. I even asked the medic if it was even real"

"I'm sure discovering your injury must've been devastating. But how did you feel knowing that you were still alive?"

"… … ...Grateful. Blessed. Thankful. On my way back to Vale all I could think about was being with Ruby again, but I was also worried about how she would react seeing me like… _this_ " she said.

"How _did_ she react?"

"The same way really. She and my dad waited for me at the Vale airport. When we all saw each other, we just hugged; for nearly half an hour" she chuckled.

"Mmm, I see" Dr. Oobleck said finishing writing his last note before closing his notepad. "I believe that is all we have time for today. But before you go, I'd like to ask you something"

Yang grew curious, "What?"

"How do you feel now? Did this session feel of any help?"

"… …Good actually. I…I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest" she said.

The doctor smiled, "I'm glad to hear you say that. Until next time?"

Yang gave a small smile back, "Yeah. For sure"

:::: :::: :::: ::::

When she came back to the room with the woman at the desk, she saw Ruby sitting in a chair near the door, "Hey Yang" she said standing up, "How'd it go?"

Yang stared at her, remembering all the memories she recalled just moments ago. Instead of answering, she walked up and enveloped her in a hug. "I love you Ruby"

Ruby was both surprised and confused by this, but nevertheless returned the gesture, "I love you too Yang"

 **To Be Continued…**


End file.
